U.S. President Joe Biden speaks before signing an executive order to help safeguard women’s access to abortion and contraception after the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v Wade decision last month that legalized abortion, at the White House in Washington, USA, on July 8, 2022. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque
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WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden on Saturday defended his decision to travel to Saudi Arabia, saying human rights would be on his agenda as he advanced a trip in which he intends to restore ties with the Crown Prince, who had previously denounced him as an outcast.
Biden will hold bilateral talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his leadership team, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his visit to the Middle East next week. https://reut.rs/3PiLiB4
Crown Prince Mohammed, the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, is believed to be behind the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist and political opponent Jamal Khashoggi, according to the U.S. intelligence community.
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In a commentary published in the Washington Post on Saturday afternoon, Biden said his goal was to reorient and not break relations with a country that has been a strategic partner of the United States for 80 years.
“I know there are many who disagree with my decision to travel to Saudi Arabia. My views on human rights are clear and long-standing, and fundamental freedoms are always on the agenda when I travel to the United States. ‘foreigner,’ ”Biden wrote.
Biden needs the help of oil-rich Saudi Arabia at a time of high gas prices and encourages efforts to end the war in Yemen after the Saudis recently extended a ceasefire there. The United States also wants to curb Iran’s influence in the Middle East and China’s world domination.
Biden argued that Saudi Arabia had recently helped restore unity among the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, had fully supported the truce in Yemen and was working to stabilize oil markets with other OPEC producers.
Biden said he will be the first president to fly from Israel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next week, which he said would be a small symbol of “fledgling relations and steps toward normalization” between Israel and the United States. Arab world.
“I will be the first president to visit the Middle East since 9/11 without American troops taking part in a combat mission. My goal is to keep it that way.” said Biden.
The president will stop for the first time in Israel on his July 13-16 trip.
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Report by Nandita Bose in Washington; Edited by Robert Birsel
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